Travel Technology - My computer died :( am I out of luck?

My Thinkpad died on me last night. A blue screen and then it wont boot up
again.

When I recycle the power it says "Parity check 2" and then nothing.

Primary search says it could be the system board issue...

I swapped out the memory.. but no luck there..

am I out of luck?


its T21 and long out of warranty.

Any suggestions?

Sorry to say - but having been there, nope. Time to get a new one...


My Thinkpad died on me last night. A blue screen and then it wont boot up
again.

When I recycle the power it says "Parity check 2" and then nothing.

Primary search says it could be the system board issue...

I swapped out the memory.. but no luck there..

am I out of luck?


its T21 and long out of warranty.

Any suggestions?

Sounds like you are SOL. Fortunately a number of companies are selling refurbed T40 for $400 delivered.

MisterNice

Yup its gone, I have gone through two thinkpads... I now have an HP DV9000 17inch and had it now for 4 months....

Not sure if it will hold out like the TP but so far so good

It very well may be dead but before you trash it i would check and see if it boots to a bootable cd, maybe try re-imaging with the thinkpad rescue and recovery program. You stated you swapped out the memory, Are you filling both dimm sockets? or just one? If both try just one if you still get the error try the second one.

Don't reimage it until you've copied your data off. The HD isn't trashed based on that error so you should be able to recover your content.

its T21 and long out of warranty.


How long out of warranty? Don't forget that many credit cards will extend warranties for at least a year (exact provisions vary from card to card).

How long out of warranty? Don't forget that many credit cards will extend warranties for at least a year (exact provisions vary from card to card).

I had a T21 back in 2001, so I would guess it's at least 4 years out of warranty.

A really good place to read or ask questions would be

http://forum.thinkpads.com/

There's even a dedicated T2x forum, and it's a goldmine of information about all things Thinkpad.

My Thinkpad died on me last night. A blue screen and then it wont boot up
again.

When I recycle the power it says "Parity check 2" and then nothing....

its T21 and long out of warranty.

Any suggestions?There should also be a numeric error code which isolates the error fairly precisely. Follow the procedures at http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=LWIK-3SR4PW

It looks like "Parity check 2" is a parity error in Dimm socket #2. This can be caused by a loose Dimm (most common), defective Dimm or bad mother board. As you have swapped out the Dimms it presumably eliminates loose or defective Dimm, so it is probably a planar defect (and replacement planars cost $1000 so there really is no repair option).

You could try running with a single dimm (in socket 1), leaving socket 2 empty (but with so little memory it becomes a linux box at that point, not windows).

(the T21 is just a 600 with cheaper construction)

Parity error, you've swapped the memory = dead. Pull the HD and mount it in an enclosure to get off the data--when you're done you have an extra drive.

Thanks for all the reply.. It pretty much confirms that I have a
great coaster now. :D

- There was no number code after parity 2 error.
- It boots sometimes.. but it eventually dies with a similar error within
a minute or so... its the system board alright.
- Tried running it on only one memory card.. same issue
- HD is okay..
- I have revived a 600E for the moment as a spare notebook. I have another
T41 that I mainly use... so I won't be buying anything in the near future.
- Thanks for all who suggested recovering the data...
I have nearly 4-5 copies of the same data.. Geographically distributed
backups... so I'm not concerned about recovering the data.. but at
some point, I'll have to destroy whats on the disk. I have many ways to
do this, but I'll decide on this later.

- as it was mentioned by one poster, I got this around 2001.. so its long out
of warranty.


So.. I won;t be throwing this out yet... but I will use it as a coaster..
Thinkpads make great coasters when you are in bed... the 600E was a
coaster.. now it will be T21 :D
They are heavy enough to keep the drink leveled :)


Thank you all.

- Tried running it on only one memory card.. same issue


In which socket?

Try running with one DIMM in one slot, then the other.

Often times, something is required in the primary slot (0 usually), but you have nothing to lose.

In which socket?

Try running with one DIMM in one slot, then the other.

Often times, something is required in the primary slot (0 usually), but you have nothing to lose.

both slots.. one at a time.

...
(the T21 is just a 600 with cheaper construction)

Only the 600x is close to the T20. T20/T21/T22/T23 are very rugged machines.

both slots.. one at a time.

Did you rotate the DIMMs?

Did you rotate the DIMMs?

rotate as in switch the slots? - yes..
I also used the memory from other notebook.. no luck.

You could always try cleaning the contacts of the dimm slot with a little isopropyl alcohol and a swab. Since memory module slots are in the bottom of the PC, they often collect all kinds of crud. Could be as simple as too much dirt...

You could always try cleaning the contacts of the dimm slot with a little isopropyl alcohol and a swab. Since memory module slots are in the bottom of the PC, they often collect all kinds of crud. Could be as simple as too much dirt...Good idea -- except that the parity error occured prior to the dimm changes. The dimms were not touched except in an attempt to cure the error. But what you describe is a common problem when adding new memory to old systems; just not relevant to the OP's problem as described.

Good idea -- except that the parity error occured prior to the dimm changes. The dimms were not touched except in an attempt to cure the error. But what you describe is a common problem when adding new memory to old systems; just not relevant to the OP's problem as described.

What he said.

You could always try cleaning the contacts of the dimm slot with a little isopropyl alcohol and a swab. Since memory module slots are in the bottom of the PC, they often collect all kinds of crud. Could be as simple as too much dirt...
You could also try going over the motherboard with a can of Blow-It-Out.

Good idea -- except that the parity error occured prior to the dimm changes. The dimms were not touched except in an attempt to cure the error. But what you describe is a common problem when adding new memory to old systems; just not relevant to the OP's problem as described.

Sorry if I disagree ;)

Dirty dimm slots can affect a running system, and it doesn't matter whether you touched the modules, changed them or rotated them. If the contacts are filthy you'll have trouble. It certainly does not only apply when adding new memory.

Sorry if I disagree ;)

Dirty dimm slots can affect a running system, and it doesn't matter whether you touched the modules, changed them or rotated them. If the contacts are filthy you'll have trouble. It certainly does not only apply when adding new memory.But the OP had all dimm slots populated -- no empty ones to get filled with dirt. In my experience your points are excellent and apply to most systems as they have empty dimm sockets, and all sorts of interesting transitional effects occur with pins alternately shorting and being insulated, but populated sockets last for decades (probably centuries). In fact if anything they getter better with age, and the dirt, dust and debris on the rest of the planar matters not a bit unless you pull a dimm out. Given all the testing it seems to be a cooked planar with no cheap fix. I suppose dust shorting a capacitor could cause a parity check with the right trace routing, so if desperate to fix a system the recourse of cleaning the entire planar is not without merit. Just low chance of success.

rotate as in switch the slots? - yes..
I also used the memory from other notebook.. no luck.

Unless the notebook is the same model, it may not be compatible.

What I meant by rotating is originally you had DIMM A in slot 0 and DIMM B in slot 1. Remove DIMM A from slot 0 and put DIMM B into slot 0, leaving DIMM A out.

It sounds like you did this.